Chief of the Army Staff General Dhiraj Seth will undertake an official visit to Nepal from August 17 to 19, 2026, aimed at further strengthening the close defence cooperation and longstanding military-to-military ties between India and Nepal.
The visit will begin on August 17, when General Dhiraj Seth will lay a wreath at the Army Pavilion in Tundikhel and receive a Guard of Honour at the Nepali Army Headquarters. He will also interact with the Chief of the Army Staff, Nepali Army, and receive a briefing from the Director General Military Operations on issues of mutual interest.
A key highlight of the visit will be the Investiture Ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhawan in Nepal. In keeping with the unique and longstanding tradition between the Indian and Nepali Armies, General Dhiraj Seth will be conferred the honorary rank of General of the Nepali Army by President of Nepal Shri Ram Chandra Paudel.
On August 18, the COAS will visit the Army Command and Staff Course at Shivapuri, where he will address student officers and interact with instructors and foreign student officers. He is also scheduled to meet senior dignitaries of Nepal to discuss issues of mutual interest and explore avenues for further cooperation.
On the final day of the visit, August 19, General Dhiraj Seth will attend an Ex-Servicemen Rally at Pokhara. During the event, he will felicitate Veer Naris and Gallantry Awardees and interact with Indian Army veterans residing in Nepal before returning to India.
India and Nepal share deep-rooted historical, social and cultural connections, often described through the enduring ‘Roti Beti Ka Rishta’. The close links between Janakpur and Ayodhya as well as Lumbini and Bodh Gaya further reflect the longstanding people-to-people and civilisational ties between the two countries.
The relationship between the two nations is also underpinned by shared democratic values and common interests in maintaining regional peace and stability. The Indian and Nepali Armies have maintained close institutional and professional relations, with cooperation spanning training, exchanges and other areas of mutual interest.
General Dhiraj Seth’s visit is expected to provide an opportunity to further deepen these military ties and identify new avenues of cooperation between the two Armies.
The visit also highlights the distinctive relationship between the Indian Army and Nepali Army, including the tradition of honorary military ranks, while reaffirming the importance of continued engagement in strengthening bilateral defence cooperation and regional security.
